ReportWire

Tag: Government/Law

  • Live animal transport regulations not ‘fit for purpose’, major international study finds

    Live animal transport regulations not ‘fit for purpose’, major international study finds

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — A ‘fitness check’ of regulations in five countries meant to protect animals during transportation, has deemed that they all fall short of fully protecting animals during transport. Findings from this interdisciplinary work involving animal welfare scientists and a law lecturer which compared animal transport rules designed to protect the billions of livestock that are transported on lengthy journeys in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, EU (including UK) and US, highlights serious failures.

    The study, published in Royal Society Open Science today [Wednesday 24 January], and involving researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Essex and British Columbia (Canada), is the first comprehensive fitness check of live animal transportation regulations in five English-speaking Western countries to assess whether the regulatory framework for a policy sector is fit for purpose.

    Live animal transport, which affects most farm animals at some point during their lifetime, is a stressful experience whereby animals are often subjected to long transport times during which they are prevented from drinking, eating and resting. For example, in Canada some animals can be transported for 36 hours without feed, water and rest.

    Researchers investigated four major risk factors associated with live animal transportation – fitness for transport, journey duration, climatic conditions and space allowances – and explored how regulations were structured to prevent animal welfare issues.

    Results from this research showed that all countries could improve and draw key future directions for new policies. For instance, no countries adopt maximum journey duration for all animals, meaning that animals can sometimes be transported for days. Not all countries mandate regular rest stops for long journeys but those that do often mandate rest stop times that are too short to allow meaningful recovery. Updating the transport regulations using the most recent science would be an important step towards improved animal welfare during transport, bringing the livestock industries more in line with societal values.

    The team also considered recent and proposed changes to the regulations. These included reviewed changes that have been announced but not yet been translated into legislation or different options that are being considered. For instance, last month (December 2023), a Bill including a ban on the export of livestock for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain (i.e., England, Scotland and Wales, but not Northern Ireland) was introduced in Parliament but may only target a minority of animals being exported.

    Dr Ben Lecorps, study co-author and Animal Welfare Lecturer in the Bristol Veterinary School, said: “Our findings indicate that regulations are often insufficient or too vague to ensure they are fit for purpose. All studied countries fall short in guaranteeing adequate protection to livestock during transport. Whilst this does not mean that all animals transported will experience serious harms, major risk factors such as excessively long journeys, or journeys during hot weather, are not being addressed to a satisfactory level.”

    Dr Eugénie Duval, study co-author and Lecturer in Law at the Essex Law School, added: “Even if they do not necessarily reflect the latest scientific evidence, some regulations are more specific than others. If we were to take the best from each regulatory framework (e.g. fitness for transport in Canada; providing species-specific thresholds for the temperature inside vehicles in the EU) and apply some of the propositions made by some countries (e.g. a ban of export outside the EU borders: proposition of some EU Member States), the ensuing regulations would be a major step closer to safeguarding animal welfare during transportation.”

    The study was funded by a grant awarded to ED and MvK by the Humane Slaughter Association and the Hans Sigrist Research Prize awarded to MvK by the Hans Sigrist Stiftung Foundation.

    Paper

    ‘Are regulations addressing farm animal welfare issues during live transportation fit for purpose? A multi-country jurisdictional check’ by Eugénie Duval, Benjamin Lecorps, Marina A.G. von Keyserlingk in Royal Society Open Science [open access]

    [ad_2]

    University of Bristol

    Source link

  • MSU expert: What an earlier primary means for Michigan and the 2024 election

    MSU expert: What an earlier primary means for Michigan and the 2024 election

    [ad_1]

    BYLINE: Matt Grossmann

    Newswise — MSU has a satellite uplink/LTN TV studio and Comrex line for radio interviews upon request. 

    EAST LANSING, Mich. – The 2024 presidential election is underway with the first contests being Iowa and New Hampshire. While Iowa holds caucuses, New Hampshire holds an open primary — illustrating that the way states assign their delegates isn’t always the same. For this election, Michigan’s contests are now sooner, on Feb. 27 and March 2 — with Michigan Republicans now holding both a primary and caucus. So, how does it all work?

    Matt Grossmann is the director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, as well as a professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science. Grossmann is an expert in both state and national politics. He answers questions about how to understand different systems and the role Michigan will play in 2024.

    How do the presidential primaries work for Republicans and Democrats?

    Officially, Democrats and Republicans select their nominees at national conventions this summer. The presidential nomination process evolved out of reforms to the delegate selection process for those conventions, which now means delegates are overwhelmingly selected based on presidential primary results. From the voter’s perspective, it often looks like any other election where you select your preferred candidate. But the parties still have power to coordinate their rules and selection procedures. That means there are still party differences, such as which states are allowed to go earlier in the process and whether the state winner gets all of the delegates from that state. Usually, the winner is determined when all other candidates drop out after it becomes infeasible for them to gain enough delegates to win. Officially, the winner needs to accumulate a majority of delegates. But the winners will likely be clear after most states vote early in the process.

    How does a caucus work?

    A caucus is a party meeting that can include the selection of delegates. The Iowa caucuses evolved out of a three-round process for selecting delegates to county conventions to select delegates to the state convention, who select delegates to the national convention. Caucuses now play a smaller role in the process, with most delegates selected by primaries. How delegates are awarded differs by state.

    How is a general primary different from a caucus and why does format vary by state?

    A primary is a normal election to select a party nominee, but the presidential primaries officially select delegates affiliated with the candidates. To organize a primary for delegate selection, a state party has to coordinate with the rules of their state and their national party. States often like to go early in the process (while several candidates are still in the race and they might influence other states), but the national parties set the rules on whether those voting early are selecting delegates to the national convention. This year, the Democratic Party approved Michigan moving earlier in the process and the Michigan Legislature (controlled by Democrats) moved our election date earlier in the process. But there is not really a contest on the Democratic side. Republicans had to adapt to this process because their national party did not approve a move earlier in the process.

    Why do Michigan Republicans have a hybrid caucus this election and how does it work?

    Michigan Republicans are trying to adapt to their national party rules and the state government-held election (coordinated by Democrats). There are also parts of the party that would like voters to have less of a role in nominating candidates compared to those more involved in party organizing and activism. The idea behind a hybrid system is to have a meaningful election where voters have a role in selecting the nominee, but official delegate selection can still conform to national rules and enable party activists to have a role in the process. 

    What are the important dates in Michigan’s voting process?

    Both parties will hold their primaries on Tuesday, Feb. 27 and the Republicans will have their caucus on Saturday, March 2, which awards most of the party’s delegates. Michigan voters who want to participate must ensure they are registered for the primary by Monday, Feb. 12. Absentee ballots requested by mail must be done so by Friday, Feb. 23. It is also important to know that Michigan now has early in-person voting, which communities must start by Saturday, Feb. 17. 

    Will Michigan’s earlier primary date have a significant effect on the presidential race?

    On the Democratic side, there is not much of a race against the incumbent president. But Michigan has an opportunity to set the terms for future elections, showing that it can become engaged, with diverse interests, and earn the right to vote early in the process in 2028. On the Republican side, it will depend on whether candidates other than Donald Trump remain in the process and how viable they are by the time Michiganders vote. Since Michigan does not have party registration, voters will be able to participate in the primary of their choice, which has provided an incentive for individuals to vote in the contest that presents the most uncertainty.

    What are some fun facts about previous presidential primaries?

     

    1. Barak Obama was not on the primary ballot in 2008 because Michigan jumped in line, holding a primary before national party rules allowed it on the Democratic side. Eventually, the delegates were still seated — but only after it was clear that they would not put Hillary Clinton over Obama.
    2. In 2016, Bernie Sanders unexpectedly defeated Hillary Clinton in the Michigan primary, prolonging the Democratic contest, in part because many Democratic-leaning voters decided to vote in the Republican contest.
    3. John McCain won the 2000 Michigan Republican primary over George W. Bush — Michigan was one of only seven states where McCain won over Bush. 

    ### 

    Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 165 years. One of the world’s leading public research universities, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery to make a better, safer, healthier world for all while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 400 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

    For MSU news on the web, go to MSUToday or twitter.com/MSUnews.

    [ad_2]

    Michigan State University

    Source link

  • Some mosquitoes like it hot

    Some mosquitoes like it hot

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Certain populations of mosquitoes are more heat tolerant and better equipped to survive heat waves than others, according to new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

    This is bad news in a world where vector-borne diseases are an increasingly global health concern. Most models that scientists use to estimate vector-borne disease risk currently assume that mosquito heat tolerances do not vary. As a result, these models may underestimate mosquitoes’ ability to spread diseases in a warming world.

    Researchers led by Katie M. Westby, a senior scientist at Tyson Research Center, Washington University’s environmental field station, conducted a new study that measured the critical thermal maximum (CTmax), an organism’s upper thermal tolerance limit, of eight populations of the globally invasive tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. The tiger mosquito is a known vector for many viruses including West Nile, chikungunya and dengue.

    “We found significant differences across populations for both adults and larvae, and these differences were more pronounced for adults,” Westby said. The new study is published Jan. 8 in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.

    Westby’s team sampled mosquitoes from eight different populations spanning four climate zones across the eastern United States, including mosquitoes from locations in New Orleans; St. Augustine, Fla.; Huntsville, Ala.; Stillwater, Okla.; St. Louis; Urbana, Ill.; College Park, Md.; and Allegheny County, Pa.

    The scientists collected eggs in the wild and raised larvae from the different geographic locations to adult stages in the lab, tending the mosquito populations separately as they continued to breed and grow. The scientists then used adults and larvae from subsequent generations of these captive-raised mosquitoes in trials to determine CTmax values, ramping up air and water temperatures at a rate of 1 degree Celsius per minute using established research protocols.

    The team then tested the relationship between climatic variables measured near each population source and the CTmax of adults and larvae. The scientists found significant differences among the mosquito populations.

    The differences did not appear to follow a simple latitudinal or temperature-dependent pattern, but there were some important trends. Mosquito populations from locations with higher precipitation had higher CTmax values. Overall, the results reveal that mean and maximum seasonal temperatures, relative humidity and annual precipitation may all be important climatic factors in determining CTmax.

    “Larvae had significantly higher thermal limits than adults, and this likely results from different selection pressures for terrestrial adults and aquatic larvae,” said Benjamin Orlinick, first author of the paper and a former undergraduate research fellow at Tyson Research Center. “It appears that adult Ae. albopictus are experiencing temperatures closer to their CTmax than larvae, possibly explaining why there are more differences among adult populations.”

    “The overall trend is for increased heat tolerance with increasing precipitation,” Westby said. “It could be that wetter climates allow mosquitoes to endure hotter temperatures due to decreases in desiccation, as humidity and temperature are known to interact and influence mosquito survival.”

    Little is known about how different vector populations, like those of this kind of mosquito, are adapted to their local climate, nor the potential for vectors to adapt to a rapidly changing climate. This study is one of the few to consider the upper limits of survivability in high temperatures — akin to heat waves — as opposed to the limits imposed by cold winters.

    “Standing genetic variation in heat tolerance is necessary for organisms to adapt to higher temperatures,” Westby said. “That’s why it was important for us to experimentally determine if this mosquito exhibits variation before we can begin to test how, or if, it will adapt to a warmer world.”

    Future research in the lab aims to determine the upper limits that mosquitoes will seek out hosts for blood meals in the field, where they spend the hottest parts of the day when temperatures get above those thresholds, and if they are already adapting to higher temperatures. “Determining this is key to understanding how climate change will impact disease transmission in the real world,” Westby said. “Mosquitoes in the wild experience fluctuating daily temperatures and humidity that we cannot fully replicate in the lab.”

    [ad_2]

    Washington University in St. Louis

    Source link

  • Albany Law School Launches Online Flex Juris Doctor Program

    Albany Law School Launches Online Flex Juris Doctor Program

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Albany Law School is proud to announce that it remains on the cutting edge of legal education and technology with the launch of its new Flex Juris Doctor program.

    The law school is currently accepting applications with the first class scheduled to begin in August 2024.

    Overall, the program allows students to pursue a career-changing law degree from wherever they wish, primarily online, and with the flexibility and convenience to accommodate their schedule, without moving or disrupting professional and personal responsibilities.

    “At Albany Law School we believe in inclusion and excellence in the pursuit of justice. Our goal at Albany Law School is to continuously seek to make high quality legal education as accessible as possible. This program exemplifies and advances our commitment to making sure that legal education is accessible,” said Albany Law School President and Dean Cinnamon P. Carlarne. “Our new Flex JD program harnesses not only the deep breadth of legal scholarship and knowledge of our faculty but also the critical experiential learning opportunities that we offer all of our students.”

    “This is an exceptionally exciting time to be entering the legal profession. Through this program students can get the tools they need to have a meaningful impact on the legal community no matter where they are,” Chair of the Albany Law School Board of Trustees Dan S. Grossman, Esq. ’78 said. “Through the power of technology, students anywhere in the world now have access to a world-class legal education that will improve the quality of life for not only themselves, but their families and communities.”

    Delivered primarily through online classes, Albany Law’s Flex Juris Doctor program provides all the benefits students can expect from the oldest and highest-ranked independent law school in the nation, but with the flexibility that allows students to advance their professional passions when it works for them.

    This unique Flex Juris Doctor program offers specializations as well. These allow students with specific goals to focus in areas with practicing experts in that field including:

    • Business Law
    • Environmental Law
    • Government Law and Public Service
    • Social Justice and Public Interest 

    No matter a student’s interests or aspirations, they will be prepared for the bar exam and practice law in the field of their choice. 

    “The Flex JD program is designed to make acquiring a Juris Doctor individualized and adjustable,” said Professor of Law Jonathan Rosenbloom, “There is no law program in the nation that encapsulates specialized education and empowers students quite like this.”

    With an expectation of flexibility and convenience in the 21st century, the law school’s Flex Juris Doctor program is delivered, primarily, through asynchronous and synchronous coursework. Students also experience all the same benefits of an on-campus program at Albany Law, including:

    • Learning from full-time faculty and leading legal scholars who teach both on-campus and online.
    • Access to legal thought leaders across the state thanks to law school’s location in New York’s state capital, and its Government Law Center, students can interact with lawmakers, government officials, and important nonprofit leaders to enhance learning.
    • Experiential learning through the Edward P. Swyer Justice Center and its clinics, externships, and immersive experiential learning opportunities that can be done near them or on campus. 
    • Small classes. Albany Law’s 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures students get to know faculty and classmates.
    • Assistance from the Career and Professional Development Center, which empowers students to find employment at a 90%+ annual rate.
    • Access to the Schaffer Law Library which has been ranked in the top-50 in the United States.

    “Students, states, and communities entrust Albany Law School to make sure that our graduates are prepared to uphold justice and ensure the integrity of our legal system,” Carlarne said. “While we will continue to vigilantly educate our on-campus students and those in our Online Graduate Programs, the new Flex JD program is the next step in the evolution of Albany Law School becoming a holistic graduate school of law.”

    Example Schedule – 87 Total Credits

    Fall 1

    • Contracts I
    • Civil Procedure
    • 1L Legal Methods (partially on campus)
    • 1L Social Justice Seminar

    Spring 1

    • Contracts II
    • Constitutional Law I
    • Lawyering I

    Summer 1

    • Torts
    • Constitutional Law II
    • Lawyering II

    Fall 2

    • Evidence
    • Criminal Law
    • Specialty elective (in-person)
    • Professional Identity Formation

    Spring 2

    • Property
    • State and Local Governments
    • Specialty elective

    Summer 2

    • Legal Profession or Professional
    • Responsibility Seminar
    • Administrative Law
    • Elective

    Fall 3

    • Elective
    • Specialty elective (in-person or experiential learning)
    • required Specialty Course

    Spring 3

    • Public International Law
    • Elective
    • Specialty elective

    Summer 3

    • Elective
    • Elective
    • Specialty elective

    Fall 4

    • Experiential Learning Elective
    • Specialty elective (in-person)
    • Elective
    		    

    —

    Albany Law School is a small, private school located in the heart of New York State’s capital where it has educated leaders since 1851. The institution offers students an innovative, rigorous curriculum taught by a committed faculty. It has an affiliation agreement with the State University at Albany that includes shared programs and access for students and faculty to learn from one another. Students have access to New York’s highest court, federal courts, the executive branch, and the state legislature. With approximately 11,000 alumni practicing across the country and several continents, Albany Law School’s graduates serve as a vital community and resource for the school and its students. The school offers the J.D. degree—the traditional law degree—a primarily online Flex J.D. Degree, residential and online Master’s and LL.M. programs, as well as online advanced certificate programs.

    [ad_2]

    Albany Law School

    Source link

  • FAU Survey Finds Floridians Believe in Climate Change and Want Government Action

    FAU Survey Finds Floridians Believe in Climate Change and Want Government Action

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — BOCA RATON, Fla. (Oct. 23, 2023) – Floridians are more convinced that climate change is happening than Americans as a whole and strongly support steps to address its impact, according to a new Florida Atlantic University survey. 

    The latest edition of the Florida Climate Resilience Survey found that 90 percent of respondents believe climate change is happening. The finding is consistent with eight previous surveys conducted by FAU’s Center for Environmental Studies (CES), which found that 86 percent to 92 percent of respondents had that belief. In contrast, a recent Yale University survey found that 74 percent of Americans as a whole think climate change is happening.

    “Floridians might be more likely to believe climate change is happening due to their experiences with hurricanes and other extreme weather,” said Colin Polsky, Ph.D., the founding director of FAU’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability.  

    The survey also found that Floridians overwhelmingly support more government action to address the impacts of climate change, with 69 percent support for state action and 70 percent support for federal action.  

    “The obvious hypothesis to test is that recent personal experiences with weather events increase support for addressing climate change, regardless of party affiliation,” Polsky said.    The survey’s data appear to support this notion with 60 percent of Floridians reporting some level of negative impact by strong winds from a hurricane or tornado in the past 12 months, and 45 percent of Floridians reporting some level of negative impact from flooding in the past 12 months.   The survey did find a slight decline in statewide belief in the human-caused nature of climate change, which dropped to 57 percent from 65 percent since a March survey. But Polsky said the current survey’s overall findings suggest that support for action on climate change will strengthen as the state’s population continues to boom, with Florida adding more than 400,000 new residents last year alone.  

    The last two editions of the survey found that newer residents exhibit higher levels of belief in human-caused climate change than people who have lived in Florida longer than five years. Polsky believes these trends might explain the state’s investment in recent years of more than $1 billion in climate adaptation projects.

    “It’s fair to conclude that state politicians feel insulated from backlash if they support actions to address climate change,” he said. “Since the state is so dominated by the Republican Party, it makes sense to consider calling Florida the first Republican state to openly fight climate change.”  

    CES has conducted the Florida Climate Resilience Survey since October 2019 and now does so twice each year. The latest edition of the survey was conducted in English and Spanish from Sept. 22 to 28. The sample consisted of 1,400 Floridians, aged 18 and older, with a survey margin of error of +/- 2.53 percentage points. The data were collected using an online panel provided by GreatBlue Research. Responses for the entire sample were weighted to adjust for age, race, income, education and gender, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Surveys. It is important to remember that subsets carry higher margins of error. 

    For more information, survey results and full cross-tabulations, visit www.ces.fau.edu/ces-
    bepi/ or contact Colin Polsky, Ph.D., at [email protected].

    – FAU –

    About Florida Atlantic University:
    Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university inFlorida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuseslocated along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures andoutpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies aninnovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, rankedas a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the CarnegieFoundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu

    [ad_2]

    Florida Atlantic University

    Source link

  • Naming and Shaming Can be Effective to Get Countries to Act on Climate

    Naming and Shaming Can be Effective to Get Countries to Act on Climate

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Enforcement is one of the biggest challenges to international cooperation on mitigating climate change in the Paris Agreement. The agreement has no formal enforcement mechanism; instead, it is designed to be transparent so countries that fail to meet their obligations will be named and thus shamed into changing behavior. A new study from the University of California San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy shows that this naming-and-shaming mechanism can be an effective incentive for many countries to uphold their pledges to reduce emissions.

    The study, appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), assesses the naming and shaming built into the 2015 Paris Agreement through its Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF). The ETF requires nations to publicly report their goals and progress toward meeting those goals. The study suggests that the ETF is most effective at motivating countries with the strongest commitments to slowing climate change.

    “The architects of the Paris Agreement knew that powerful enforcement mechanisms, like trade sanctions, wouldn’t be feasible,” said study coauthor David Victor, professor of industrial innovation at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy and co-director of the Deep Decarbonization Initiative. “Most analysts assumed the agreement would fail to be effective without strong enforcement and are skeptical of naming and shaming. Our research suggests that pessimism is wrong. Naming and shaming is built into the system and our study shows that the policy experts who are most knowledgeable about Paris see this mechanism working well—at least for some countries.”

    Naming and shaming doesn’t work everywhere, the study shows; however, it is particularly important for countries that are already highly motivated to act. Even those countries need a spotlight on their behavior, lest they slip and fail to comply with the obligations they set for themselves under the Paris Agreement. 

    In Europe—where countries have the most ambitious and credible climate pledges—the surge in energy prices and interruptions in Russian gas supply created incentives to retain higher-emission energy technologies, such as coal. International visibility and political pressures within those countries plausibly help explain why European policymakers have kept emissions in alignment with their previously committed climate goals.

    In the U.S., naming and shaming is likely to be effective as well, but not to the same degree as in Europe, the study shows.

    “This raises some concern about the ability to maintain the momentum generated by the Inflation Reduction Act under less favorable conditions, such as rising interest rates,” said Emily Carlton, study coauthor and UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy alum.

    Study taps expert opinions of top climate negotiators from around the world

    The findings in the new PNAS study are derived from responses from a sample of registrants of the Conference of Parties (COP), consisting of more than 800 diplomatic and scientific experts who, for decades, have participated in climate policy debates. This expert group is critical to understanding how political institutions shape climate policy because they are the people “in the room” when key policy decisions are made. They are in a unique position to evaluate what is most likely to motivate their countries to act on climate.

    They were asked questions such as: is the ETF in the agreement effective? Do they support the use of the ETF, and is it a legitimate way to enforce the Paris Agreement?

    Overall, 77% of the sample agreed with using naming and shaming—that is, using the ETF for comparing countries’ mitigation efforts. The results further indicate that 57% of all respondents expect naming and shaming to substantially affect the climate policy performance of their home country—where they know the policy environment best.

    While survey respondents’ country of origin was kept anonymous to elicit the most candid responses possible, the respondents that think naming and shaming is most effective are more likely to be from democracies with high-quality political institutions. In addition, these individuals come from countries with strong internal concern about climate change and ambitious and credible international climate commitments, such as countries in Europe.

    The study finds naming and shaming is likely least effective for countries that lack strong democratic institutions, such as some large emitters like China.

    While the inability for naming and shaming to work effectively within the countries least motivated for climate action creates tension, the study does provide a hopeful narrative for enforcing cooperation on climate, according to the authors.

    “It is a really good thing that naming and shaming can keep the most climate-motivated countries on track because decarbonizing is hard and changes in circumstances and energy markets can make it even harder,” said Carlton. “Countries in Europe are some of the biggest emitters and as we saw recently, policymakers could have easily switched back to coal after the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but they did not.”

    Who should be the “namers and shamers” and who is most effective at it?

    The survey respondents were also asked which institutions should be responsible for naming and shaming. The results overwhelmingly indicated the preference for namers and shamers to be scientists, as well as neutral international organizations such as the United Nations (U.N.) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). However, past studies have found that both diplomatic and science organizations like the U.N. and IPCC are actually ineffective at naming and shaming.

    “It is not something that these organizations do,” Carlton said. “They are positioned to try to get countries to cooperate and it’s just not a function of theirs to put countries on blast in a judgmental way. That is something you see done more effectively from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the media.”

    While naming and shaming is a mechanism that makes cooperation work, the authors believe that other strategies such as trade sanctions may be useful as well. They explored this topic in a recent study.  

    Coauthors of the PNAS paper, “Naming and Shaming as a Strategy for Enforcing the Paris Agreement: The Role of Political Institutions and Public Concern,” include Astrid Dannenberg of University of Kassel and the University of Gothenburg and Marcel Lumkowsky of the University of Kassel.

    [ad_2]

    University of California San Diego

    Source link

  • Labour laws need updating now remote work is here to stay

    Labour laws need updating now remote work is here to stay

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Australia’s employment laws and regulations must be updated to reflect the changing nature of work, with many people continuing to work from home long after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    That’s according to University of South Australia Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour Dr Ruchi Sinha who says labour laws and protections should be updated to clarify issues related to work hours, overtime, and breaks in a remote work context, now that almost half of all employees are working from home at least once a week.

    The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report on the welfare and wellbeing of Australians launched yesterday found that prior to the pandemic, 13% of people aged 18 and over with a job reported working from home most days, according to the ABS Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey.

    By April 2022, 46% of people had worked from home at least once per week in the previous four weeks.

    Dr Sinha says the changing nature of work has brought about a need to ensure remote workers have access to the same employment protections as in-office workers and are provided the same training and development and health and wellbeing opportunities.

    “We need to ensure that remote work policies are inclusive and provide reasonable accommodations for employees, including employees with disabilities,” she says.

    “Employers should be promoting the adoption of technologies that enable people to work from home, this includes essential equipment like laptops, webcams and audio tools. Such investment in digital infrastructure and resources for remote workers should be encouraged in rural areas too, to reduce digital poverty.”

    Other findings in the two-yearly AIHW report included life satisfaction, psychological distress, and loneliness among Australians.

    The report found that although people’s satisfaction with life in general has shown recovery since the pandemic, it has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the average life satisfaction in August 2023 recorded at a 6.6 out of 10, compared to 7.5 in 2019.

    The proportion of adults experiencing psychological distress has also failed to return to pre-pandemic levels, with 12.9% of adults reporting severe psychological distress in August 2023 compared to 8.4% in 2017.

    Almost 40% of Australians also report having experienced loneliness recently.

    Dr Sinha says employers can play an important role in helping to promote health and wellbeing in peoples’ lives, particularly if employees are working from home.

    “Employers can recognise the potential challenges of remote work on mental health and establish policies that promote wellbeing including encouraging regular check-ins between managers and remote workers, and providing access to mental health resources and support,” she says.

    “It’s important too to balance remote and in-office work by considering hybrid work models that meet the needs of both employees and employers. Things like face-to-face events and meetings arranged at cafes and restaurants can help with loneliness as well as culture building.”

     

    [ad_2]

    University of South Australia

    Source link

  • A tax on menthol cigarettes would work better than statewide bans, UW study finds

    A tax on menthol cigarettes would work better than statewide bans, UW study finds

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Menthol-flavored cigarettes account for more than one-third of cigarettes sold in the United States, and experts believe they are more dangerous than traditional cigarettes.

    More than 150 cities and counties have prohibited the sale of menthols, and Massachusetts and California both have statewide bans. The Food and Drug Administration proposed a federal ban in 2022 but may never institute it. In the absence of a national ban, new research from the University of Washington finds that a menthol tax is a preferable policy to scattered statewide bans.

    The study, forthcoming in Marketing Science, evaluates the ban on menthol cigarettes in the state of Massachusetts. While researchers found some demand shifted from menthol to non-menthol cigarettes, menthol sales in bordering states also increased significantly. This suggests consumers engage in cross-state shopping for menthols, which reduces tax revenue for Massachusetts and decreases positive health benefits. A statewide menthol tax would be preferable, study results suggest, because it would lead to a drop in smoking in the state while also generating additional tax revenue.

    Menthol adds a cooling, minty sensation to cigarettes that mitigates the harshness and leads to increased initiation among new smokers, according to the FDA. Combined with nicotine, effects in the brain are also associated with signs of greater addiction.

    “Many menthol smokers are still smoking them after the ban,” said Simha Mummalaneni, co-author and assistant professor of marketing in the UW Foster School of Business. “They’re just traveling across the border into New Hampshire or Connecticut and buying the cigarettes there.

    “From the perspective of the people who wrote this policy in Massachusetts, this is bad because it means the public health benefits are not as big. We’ve not solved the problem. We’ve diminished it, but not solved it. This pattern is also bad for the policymakers because they have lost a tremendous amount of tax revenue.”

    The study focused on stores in three areas: the state of Massachusetts, a 30-mile ring around the state border and a control area outside the New York and New England region. Menthols accounted for about 27% of all cigarette sales in these areas, and researchers calculated the total weekly cigarette sales in Massachusetts and the border area to determine the overall impact of the ban from June to December 2020.

    While stores in Massachusetts lost sales, stores within 30 miles of the border received additional customers. Out-of-state cigarette sales increased by 88.72%, with most sales going to New Hampshire. As a result, New Hampshire’s cigarette tax revenue sharply increased during the observation window.

    Non-menthol cigarette sales in Massachusetts increased after the ban — implying that some consumers switched from menthols — but not enough to cancel out the decline in menthol sales. Overall cigarette sales in Massachusetts also declined significantly, while non-menthol and menthol cigarette sales both increased in the border area.

    Researchers found that state-specific bans decrease menthol consumption by 46% and overall cigarette consumption by 4.8%, but also decrease tax revenues by about 21%. Based on these calculations and a model of consumer shopping included in the new study, a $6 per-pack tax would increase tax revenue by 14% while also decreasing menthol and overall cigarette consumption by 28% and 2.7%, respectively. When the tax increases beyond $6, revenue begins to fall because consumers are strongly incentivized to purchase cigarettes across the border.

    While researchers didn’t study the effects of California’s menthol ban, they said cross-border shopping likely wouldn’t be as severe due to the state’s larger size. That doesn’t eliminate the issues, however.

    “Despite its larger size, there is still reason to be worried for California,” said Ali Goli, co-author and assistant professor of marketing in the UW Foster School of Business. “If menthols are being smuggled through organized crime, you haven’t solved the problem. You’re still sending tax revenue elsewhere. We haven’t seen these scattered statewide bans really working.

    “When you consider a tax in California, there’s no reason to believe it would fail. You can still implement a tax to generate more revenue and then wait until maybe there’s a nationwide ban.”

    In Massachusetts, a menthol ban would reduce cigarette tax revenue by $108 million, while a menthol tax would increase revenue by $72 million. The difference between the two options is $180 million — lost tax revenue that could be used to fund tobacco control programs, education efforts, outreach and more.

    “States have tobacco control programs,” Mummalaneni said. “They are like a lot of public health initiatives; they are underfunded. They have people who are really working hard for them and care about the initiatives. They would love to do so much more, but they just don’t have the funds to do so.”

    [ad_2]

    University of Washington

    Source link

  • Trump’s mug shot expression was a calculated move for his presidential campaign strategy, says experts

    Trump’s mug shot expression was a calculated move for his presidential campaign strategy, says experts

    [ad_1]

    For the first time in United States history, a former president has their mug shot taken and released to the public in connection to criminal charges. Donald Trump surrendered at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia last night and was booked on felony charges alleging he participated in a criminal conspiracy to illegally overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.

    Virginia Tech political science and public relations experts alike, believe there was a calculated effort by the former president and his team in regards to how he should look in the mug shot.

    “Trump’s mug shot expression tries to convey strength and defiance, likely a strategy used to rile up his base,” says Chad Hankinson, a political science expert at Virginia Tech. “The likely interpretation for them is that he is fearless, powerful, confident, and undeterred by efforts to undermine him.” 

    Trump’s campaign released the photo while requesting donations. Hankinson believes he’s trying to capitalize on this to raise more campaign funds. “Overall, he views this as a win that will net him more campaign contributions and supporters, and further the narrative that he is the target of politically motivated investigations that are meant to derail his chances of regaining the presidency.”

    “Former President Trump has long been said to claim that any publicity is “good” publicity,” says Virginia Tech political expert Karen Hult. “This is another historic “first” for U.S. presidents and arguably another step along the path of a collapsing constitutional republic.”

    Cayce Myers, a public relations professor in the School of Communication says mug shots have become a defining visual for news coverage of arrests. 

    “Often thought of as a degrading experience, mug shots frequently are thought to be unflattering and frequently present the subject as a guilty person who got caught,” says Myers. “In high profile cases there is a strategy for taking a mug shot where the person arrested attempts to send a message to the public with their picture.”

    “Trump’s expression in his Fulton County Jail mugshot expresses a certain disgust and contempt, which helps promote his narrative that this is an unjust, politically motivated arrest,” says Myers. “Trump’s mug shot may become a defining visual for the 2024 presidential campaign, perhaps not surprisingly on both sides.”

    While pundits predicted that such images would be used to undermine Trump’s credibility in 2024, Myers agrees with Hankinson that it is Trump who is likely to use the visual to promote his own campaign. “His indictments have become a rallying cry and platform for his 2024 presidential campaign, and polling in the Republican primary shows that his sizable lead has not diminished despite these legal problems.”

    [ad_2]

    Virginia Tech

    Source link

  • Beyond IT: Protecting operational technology from cyberattacks

    Beyond IT: Protecting operational technology from cyberattacks

    [ad_1]

    Tulane University cybersecurity expert Joshua Copeland is available to speak on the importance of protecting operational technology (OT) from cyberattacks. Among other applications, OT controls valves, engines, conveyors and other machines vital to daily life. OT cyberattacks often lead to dire consequences beyond system delays. 

    According to a recent Waterfall Security report, a 140% surge in cyberattacks against industrial operations resulted in over 150 incidents in 2022. Attacks on critical infrastructure inflicted damage and delays in vital operations such as banking, manufacturing, airline, mining, shipping, schools, libraries and various other organizations. 

    “The simple answer is businesses must develop new tools and solutions to these problems. You can’t take the processes that you’re familiar with from the IT side and try to apply them to operational technology. People or local governments get into situations where operational technology is costly to upgrade. The big question is, what can businesses do nationally or internationally to incentivize doing the right things and building out more secure operational technology?”

    Late last month, several lawmakers accused Microsoft of negligent security over a hack that allowed China to spy on top Biden administration officials. According to a Wall Street Journal article, researchers say the breach may be worse than initially suspected. More than two dozen organizations globally were affected. Microsoft described the attack as narrowly targeted at individuals whose communications were believed to possess high intelligence value. 

    [ad_2]

    Tulane University

    Source link

  • UCI-OC Poll finds homelessness, affordable housing top resident concerns

    UCI-OC Poll finds homelessness, affordable housing top resident concerns

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Irvine, Calif., Aug. 18, 2023 — More than 100 policymakers, community leaders and researchers met on campus Thursday to craft solutions for Orange County’s top concerns: homelessness and the lack of affordable housing in the county.

    University of California, Irvine’s School of Social Ecology and United to End Homelessness, an Orange County United Way initiative, hosted the event to discuss the results of the 2023 UCI-OC Poll and respondents’ views about Orange County’s homelessness and housing issues. 

    The discussion presented an opportunity for leaders and decision-makers to learn the details of the poll findings from the research team and collaborate and shape the priorities of United to End Homelessness.

    “One thing that jumped out to me was that 85 percent of respondents said they would support their taxes being increased in order to provide funding to reduce homelessness – and this had majority support from all political parties. What is inspiring to me is that people in our community are willing to pitch in to help others,” said Sue Parks, president and CEO of Orange County United Way. 

    In the 1980s and ’90s, the school sponsored the Orange County Annual Survey under the direction of then UCI professor Mark Baldassare. Baldassare left to become the president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, and the poll transitioned to the California Poll. 

    Today, more than two decades later, “Orange County has grown so substantially that it is now one of the six most populous counties in the country,” said Jon Gould, dean of the School of Social Ecology. “If it were a city, it would be the third largest in the nation. Also, Orange County is one of the few truly purple counties in America – a place where the left and right not only live side-by-side but must find a way to collaborate to get things done. As the county has grown, its leaders need reliable methods to track and analyze residents’ concerns, views, and priorities on a variety of pressing issues so that we are not forced to rely on anecdotal understandings or the feedback from the handful of residents who show up for city council meetings. As Orange County’s hometown research university, we are dedicated to meeting this need and to helping to bring together business leaders with elected officials and community members to discuss workable responses to these problems.” 

    Such dedication extends beyond homelessness.

    “Whether the issues concern housing, education, business climate, sustainability, transportation, crime or many other challenges,” Gould added, “area leaders will be better equipped to navigate the local environment and respond if they have reliable, timely data on the attitudes, priorities and opinions of O.C. residents and a neutral place and convener to consider them.”

    That’s why the school launched the UCI-OC Poll.

    Faculty members in the school, including Alejandra Reyes, Nicholas Marantz and Jae Hong Kim, helped to construct the survey, which was then conducted in the field by Ken Goldstein, senior vice president for survey research and institutional policy at the American Association of Universities.

    In total, 818 adults across Orange County were surveyed about views on the most pressing social, economic, and political issues facing the region. Released this week, the poll’s primary conclusion is that Orange County residents seek action to address homelessness and affordable housing and are supportive of many policy responses.

    According to the poll, seven in 10 residents (71 percent) described homelessness as a “very serious” problem, and 69 percent had similar views regarding the county’s lack of affordable housing. Framing these numbers through a personal lens, a majority (55 percent) of respondents stated they know someone who is or has been homeless.

    In addition, more than half (52 percent) of respondents who are renters have worried in the past year about being able to pay their rent and the threat of eviction, while one-fifth of homeowners (20 percent) have worried in the last year about being able to pay their mortgage and the risk of foreclosure. 

    “This survey demonstrates the personal impact of homelessness on Orange County residents and the groundswell of support behind finding tangible and dignified housing solutions,” said Becks Heyhoe, executive director of United to End Homelessness. “To see that a majority of respondents have personally known someone who is or has experienced homelessness reinforces why respondents are supporting a variety of solutions and are ready to take action.”

    A majority (85 percent) of respondents across varying demographics and geographic locations in the county expressed support for a bond measure/tax increase to reduce homelessness, along with other approaches including increased mental health services (88 percent), additional shelter resources (78 percent), and long-term housing for those experiencing homelessness (76 percent) among other solutions.

    For some who responded to the poll, the high rate of local concern over affordable housing is no surprise. 

    “I don’t have data in front of me, but if you look at economic models from around the country, of major metro areas (like Orange County), you’ll see that housing expenses as a percentage of people’s income is probably at an all-time high,” John Kosecoff, a former hedge fund manager who lives in Laguna Woods, told the Orange County Register. “So, no, the idea that people are particularly concerned about this, right now, doesn’t shock me. We’re at the precipice of this becoming a disaster.”

    Kosecoff added that for a growing number of retirees who don’t own a home, and who don’t have growing income, the lack of affordable housing is a physical and emotional threat.

    “People want their dignity. So, even if it means they’re skipping meals, they’ll do what they can to maintain what the world perceives as a middle-class life,” he said. “But I think we’re close to seeing that become impossible for a lot of people.” 

    Jennifer Friend, CEO of Project Hope Alliance, who attended Thursday’s discussion, said it got her and fellow participants thinking about creative solutions.

    “We talked about how we can simultaneously invest in the prevention of tomorrow’s adults experiencing homelessness while building housing for our current unhoused community members,” said the UCI Social Ecology alumna who was homeless when she was a child. “The data shows that our community is ready to start investing in K-12 students experiencing homelessness today so that they won’t become adults experiencing homelessness tomorrow.”

    Other participants discussed focusing on particular populations.

    “Whether it’s veterans, or families or transitional-aged youth, focusing on a specific group could be an effective strategy for solving homelessness,” said Christy Cornwall of Providence Mission Hospital. “I’m a firm believer in prevention and somehow connecting with the institutions that people naturally experience could be pathways to receiving support before they become homeless, like through an eviction diversion program through the courts or connecting with our utility companies so people can receive support.”

    And, she added, there is a “need to turn the narrative,” such as through a public awareness approach.

    Using the survey data as a prompt for the collaborative session, the outcomes and ideas generated at the event will help inform United to End Homelessness’ immediate and long-term priorities within its primary programs and beyond, including: 

    “This poll demonstrates the power of bringing people together to solve local challenges like homelessness and housing issues while reinforcing the vision behind establishing United to End Homelessness five years ago,” Heyhoe said. “Although progress has been made, we now have data demonstrating the commitment and will of residents to get involved and support solutions for the collective well-being of Orange County. We look forward to collaborating with our partners to address these needs and solve them together.” 

    At the program’s conclusion, Robert Morse, who has been an advocate for the homeless for about 18 years, said he is hopeful events like Thursday’s can help lead to a solution. Sporting a sizable white beard and a pin-filled ballcap with the words “Santa Bob” across the front, Morse mentioned that he knows homelessness firsthand, having spent 10 years on the street before finding housing and later joining several homeless-related boards and committees. 

    However, the At-Large Seat Representative for Older Adults on the Orange County Commission to End Homelessness’ Continuum of Care Board cautioned solutions for those in need of housing “will happen slowly. That’s because locating housing is a problem for everyone in Orange County, not just the homeless.”

    Gould remarked during his introduction that this first iteration of the UCI-OC Poll will be followed by more addressing various issues facing the region.

    “The next topic of the poll will be on the supposed brain drain in Orange County,” the dean revealed to the crowd, “and we would look forward to partnering with several of you and your organizations on that question.” 

    About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

    Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.

    NOTE TO EDITORS, PHOTO AVAILABLE AT
    https://news.uci.edu/2023/08/18/uci-oc-poll-finds-homelessness-affordable-housing-top-resident-concerns/

    [ad_2]

    University of California, Irvine

    Source link

  • Modeling Study Indicates Potential for US to Reduce Building Emissions by 91%, Resulting in $100 Billion Annual Savings in Energy Costs

    Modeling Study Indicates Potential for US to Reduce Building Emissions by 91%, Resulting in $100 Billion Annual Savings in Energy Costs

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — The US has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. To accomplish this goal, large cuts in emissions are necessary, especially in high-emission sectors like the building industry. In an article publishing on August 18 in the journal One Earth, a team of researchers use a computational model to analyze several scenarios of future building energy use in the US. They find that by tackling emissions on multiple fronts and placing focus on “demand-side measures” that affect how power is drawn from the grid, such as technologies like electric heat pumps and smart thermostats, the US can achieve its climate goals, decrease building emissions by 91% from their 2005 peak, and save over $100 billion each year on energy costs.

    “Meeting the US 2050 net-zero emissions target requires a rapid and cost-effective low-carbon transition across the entire energy system,” writes the team of energy technology experts based at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and energy consultants. “Commercial and residential buildings are a primary source of emissions and are key to this transition.”

    In the United States, the authors cite, buildings—including both public buildings, like offices, and private buildings, like homes—contribute 35% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. In 2005, the US contributed 2,327 megatons of carbon dioxide in the buildings sector, setting a record for all-time high emissions. Since then, emissions have declined by 25%, and are projected to keep declining by up to another 41% by 2050. But we will need to keep cutting emissions to reach our climate goals, assert the authors.

    For their analysis, the authorship team defines three main ways to cut building-related emissions. They argue that we should focus on making buildings use energy more efficiently, making the power grid more reliable by increasing the flexibility of how energy is managed by the grid, and utilizing low-carbon energy sources. “There are no ‘silver bullet’ solutions for building decarbonization,” write the authors. “Achieving deeper levels of emissions reductions will require a comprehensive mix of solutions addressing both the generation and end uses of energy—a true ‘all-of-the-above’ menu of solutions to decarbonize the built environment.”

    The team modeled “low,” “moderate,” and “aggressive” scenarios of this “all-of-the-above menu” to determine the degree to which we can cut emissions. They found that it’s possible to reduce building emissions by 91% compared to 2005 levels by 2050, and that demand-side measures that increase the flexibility of the power grid, like heat pumps and smart thermostats, could contribute up to 45% of these emissions cuts.

    “Flexibility will play an increasingly important role as variable renewable energy accounts for a larger share of power generation and distribution networks are challenged by growing demand for clean electricity,” write the researchers.

    However, achieving this level of emissions cuts would require the “aggressive” level of intervention from the researchers’ model, and the authors emphasize that an “unprecedented scale and speed of building technology development and deployment” would be necessary, as well as a largescale commitment to changing how we consume energy.

    “Realizing this level of change in the building sector will require a rapid and sustained increase in investment alongside policy and regulatory support,” write the authors. “We hope that this study can inform concrete policy approaches that accelerate energy system decarbonization across both demand- and supply-side technologies to fulfill ambitious targets for climate change mitigation in the US.”

     

    ###

     

    [ad_2]

    Cell Press

    Source link

  • Insights from Stanford Research: Meat and Dairy Industry’s Resilience Against Competition from Alternative Animal Products

    Insights from Stanford Research: Meat and Dairy Industry’s Resilience Against Competition from Alternative Animal Products

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — The summertime barbecue – an American tradition synonymous with celebrating freedom – may be tainted by a decidedly unfree market. A new Stanford study reveals how meat and dairy industry lobbying has influenced government regulations and funding to stifle competition from alternative meat products with smaller climate and environmental impacts. The analysis, published Aug. 18 in One Earth, compares innovations and policies related to plant-based meat alternatives and lab-grown meat in the U.S. and European Union. Its findings could help ensure legislation, such as the $428 billion U.S. Farm Bill set to expire Sept. 30, levels the food industry playing field.
    (WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVDhQC17ecQ)

    “The lack of policies focused on reducing our reliance on animal-derived products and the lack of sufficient support to alternative technologies to make them competitive are symptomatic of a system still resisting fundamental changes,” said study lead author Simona Vallone, an Earth system science research associate in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability at the time of the research.

    A growing problem

    Livestock production is the agriculture sector’s largest emitter of the potent greenhouse gas methane, due to emissions from ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats. It’s also the main direct cause of tropical deforestation, due to pasture expansion and feed crop production. Numerous studies have demonstrated that dietary changes hold great potential to reduce humanity’s ecological footprint, especially a reduction in red meat consumption. At the same time, Western-style meat-heavy diets are becoming more popular around the world.

    The researchers reviewed major agricultural policies from 2014 to 2020 that supported either the animal food product system or alternative technologies, and compared government spending on both systems. They also looked at related lobbying trends.

    They found that governments consistently devoted most of their agricultural funding to livestock and feed production systems, avoided highlighting food production sustainability dimensions in nutrition guidelines, and attempted to introduce regulatory hurdles, such as narrow labeling standards, to the commercialization of meat alternatives. Major U.S. meat and dairy companies actively lobbied against environmental issues and regulations to tip the scales in their favor.

    In the U.S., about 800 times more public funding and 190 times more lobbying money goes to animal-source food products than alternatives. In the EU, about 1,200 times more public funding and three times more lobbying money goes to animal-source food products. In both regions, nearly all plant-based meat patents were published by a small number of private companies or individuals, with just one U.S. company, Impossible Foods, owning half of the patents.

    Among the anecdotes cited by the study:

    • EU cattle producers were highly dependent on direct subsidy payments, which constituted at least 50% of their income during the study period. Some of these payments incentivized farmers to maintain herd size, keep pasture in production, or increase overall output.
    • In 2017, following a European Court of Justice ruling, dairy terms such as milk and cheese could no longer be used to market most alternative milk and dairy products. Similarly, a proposed amendment to the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act would prohibit the sale of alternative meats unless the product label included the word “imitation” and other clarifying statements indicating the non-animal origin.

    Restoring competition

    This past June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the sale of lab-grown chicken, the first such authorization to cultivated meat producers in the country. The Stanford study points to recent policy developments as similar glimmers of hope for a shift to more sustainable diets. In the U.S., the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year includes investments in technical and financial assistance to support farmers and ranchers implementing practices to reduce greenhouse emissions or sequester carbon. In the EU, a policy proposal set for debate this fall aims at accelerating a sustainable transition of the food system to support climate mitigation solutions, and reduce biodiversity loss and environmental impacts.

    To ensure a fair marketplace for alternative meat products, policymakers should craft legislation that ensures meat’s price reflects its environmental costs, increases research on alternative meat and dairy products, and informs consumers on alternatives to meat via dietary guidelines, according to the researchers.

    “It’s clear that powerful vested interests have exerted political influence to maintain the animal-farming system status quo,” said study senior author Eric Lambin, the George and Setsuko Ishiyama Provostial Professor at Stanford and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. “A significant policy shift is required to reduce the food system impact on climate, land use, and biodiversity.”

    Pat Brown, the founder and CEO of Impossible Foods, and professor emeritus of biochemistry at Stanford, was not involved in the study.

    -30-

    [ad_2]

    Stanford University

    Source link

  • In Papua New Guinea, Inaugl Tribe Members Commit to Legally Protect More Than 12,000 ha (46 square miles) of High Biodiversity Forest

    In Papua New Guinea, Inaugl Tribe Members Commit to Legally Protect More Than 12,000 ha (46 square miles) of High Biodiversity Forest

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Today, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Indigenous landowners of the Inaugl tribe have joined their neighbours in the Bismarck Forest Corridor to commit to legally protecting 12,241 hectares (46.3 square miles) of forest under a conservation deed. The deed protects this high integrity forest from logging, while allowing for sustainable use of natural resources within marked zones.

    “This conservation deed, which is agreed by all five clans of the Inaugl tribe, meant that the people put aside their differences and are united to work together for common good,” said clan leader, John Kamb Sande.

    The Wildlife Conservation Society PNG program (WCS PNG), with support from the European Union-funded Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme and the USAID PNG Lukautim Graun Program, has been working with the Inaugl tribe members from Gembogl District, Chimbu Province, to empower Indigenous stewardship over their tenured lands. The lands are managed under the oversight of KGWan, a community-based organisation made up of representatives from each of the Inaugl tribe’s five clans, and monitored by local rangers or “Wasman,” who will be trained in GPS software tools to record wildlife sightings and breaches of management rules. Offenders can be prosecuted under village or state courts. Under the SWM Programme and Lukautim Graun Program, local magistrates and the Conservation Management Committee have received training on penalties and mediation processes to enforce conservation deeds.

    WCS PNG Country Director, Jennifer Baing, said that legally binding conservation deeds as community-led governance mechanisms are proving to be effective for sustainable wildlife management and conservation in PNG.

    “This community led approach is effective because it incorporates both social and environmental safeguards, such as rigorous processes of obtaining local Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Through the process of developing conservation deeds, customary landowners are empowered to make decisions on the use of their own resources based on traditional knowledge and the community’s own needs. This is achieved by utilising information on local threats to their natural resources, food security and culture,” said Baing.

    H.E. Jacques Fradin, Ambassador of the European Union to PNG, proudly extends heartfelt congratulations to the Inaugl tribe’s clans for their collaborative efforts in signing a groundbreaking conservation deed.

    “The signing of this historic agreement is a testament to the spirit of cooperation between the local communities, whose ancestral lands are graced with unique and diverse ecosystems. The European Union is proudly supporting the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme and other initiatives committed to fostering sustainable development, enhancing environmental protection, with deep respect for local traditions and knowledge. This milestone serves as a tangible example of how protected areas supported through conservation deeds are proving to be a useful tool to achieve sustainable management of wildlife and natural resources. The European Union is committed to continue the Government of Papua New Guinea, the provincial administrations, local communities, and international partners in advancing sustainable practices and preserving the natural wonders that grace this astonishing country,” said H.E. Jacques Fradin.

    As part of the management plan the community has designated zones within the conservation area to support sustainable traditional hunting. In addition, to increase the supply of protein, two hundred households will receive chickens to set up village backyard poultry farming.

    Jenny Steven, speaking on behalf of women from the Inaugl tribe, said, “Conservation will not be fully achieved in PNG unless people’s livelihoods are integrated.” This integration is a core component of both the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme and Lukautim Graun Program.

    Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Lukautim Graun Program, Tom Pringel said, “Papua New Guinea, land of 840 language and culture is living through a time of environmental degradation which is not only resulting in biodiversity loss, but loss of cultural identity associated with traditional bilas, folklores, songs, areas of cultural significances, loss of water sources, loss of herbal medicine, loss of useful plants, animals, and insects. All living and non-living things in the natural environment are interconnected and form various elements of the ecosystems life supporting systems. With the increase in human population and demand for more resources there is now a greater need to promote biodiversity conservation and environmental protection in PNG. USAID funded Lukautim Graun Program promotes and supports biodiversity conservation efforts by providing alternative solutions to promote biodiversity through livelihood programs, capacity building and training. Additionally, gender equality in PNG is rated as one of the lowest out of the 159 countries, therefore the Lukautim Graun Program also supports and promotes equal participation for girls and women in biodiversity conservation programming and livelihood activities. On this occasion we are proud to be part of the achievement and celebrate a milestone achievement with the Danbalg Community who have taken the initiative to setup the Inaugl Natural Resource Management Area. Congratulations to the Danbalg Community, WCS and everyone who has been part of the journey in creating the Conservation Area.”

    ###

    Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme The SWM Programme is developing innovative solutions based on field projects in fifteen countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. This seven-year (2018-2024) initiative is funded by the European Union and implemented by a unique consortium of four organisations with expertise in wildlife conservation and food security: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). https://www.swm-programme.info/papua-new-guinea

    The USAID PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP) The USAID PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP) aims to protect Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) rich biodiversity, which is under increasing threat from industrial development, population growth, and other anthropogenic factors. “Lukautim graun” means “protect the environment” in Tok Pisin. The Program aims to improve the conservation of biodiversity and equity among genders in priority terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems. www.pnglgp.org

    [ad_2]

    Wildlife Conservation Society

    Source link

  • Poaching Risks Kordofan Giraffe Extinction in 15 Years

    Poaching Risks Kordofan Giraffe Extinction in 15 Years

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Poaching of two Critically Endangered Kordofan giraffes per year could result in extinction in just 15 years within Cameroon’s Bénoué National Park without intervention. These are the alarming new findings of a University of Bristol and Bristol Zoological Society-led study published in the African Journal of Ecology.

    One of the last populations of Kordofan giraffes roam Cameroon’s Bénoué National Park in Africa with current estimates indicating there are fewer than 50 individuals left in the park. Bristol Zoological Society have been working to conserve this highly-threatened mammal since 2017.

    While poaching is frequently cited as a cause of population decline, evidence remains mostly anecdotal, with little research into its overall impact. Illegal hunters kill giraffes for their meat but also for their pelts, bones, hair and tails which are highly valued by some cultures.

    Researchers from Bristol Vet School and Bristol Zoological Society sought to analyse the effectiveness of different conservation measure interventions using a population modelling technique. The team compared anti-poaching interventions, population supplementation, and habitat protection. Each intervention was simulated individually and in combination to investigate their relative impact on population viability.

    Their modelling found the removal of one male and one female giraffe every year would result in an average time to extinction of just 15.3 years. The poaching of female giraffes had a more significant impact on population viability than males.

    The team’s findings confirm that conservation management should prioritise strengthening existing anti-poaching activity in conjunction with protecting wildlife corridors to aid dispersal.

    Kane Colston, the study’s lead author, who undertook the study as part of his Master’s degree at Bristol Vet School in conjunction with teaching partners Bristol Zoological Society, said: “Our findings confirm anti-poaching measures appear the most significant for population viability. The extent of poaching in Bénoué National Park is still unclear as far higher giraffe poaching rates have been reported in other national parks, but recent confirmed reports of the poaching of two giraffes in a period of just three months highlight the urgency of conservation intervention.”

    Dr Sam Penny, the project lead from Bristol Zoological Society, added: “These findings really underscore the magnitude of the threat facing Bénoué National Park’s Kordofan giraffe and highlight the importance of our conservation work in the area. We will continue to work with the park’s Conservation Service and our partner NGO Sekakoh to ensure anti-poaching initiatives are prioritised within the landscape.”

    Ends

    [ad_2]

    University of Bristol

    Source link

  • ASBMB calls for student loan relief

    ASBMB calls for student loan relief

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — On June 20, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology submitted public hearing testimony to the Department of Education expressing concerns about the growing burden of student loan debt. The society called for expanding debt-relief programs across all educational levels and allowing postdoctoral researchers to defer loan payments until after completion of their training.

    “We are in the midst of a student debt crisis, and it’s hurting the research enterprise and more importantly, the next generation of scientists,” Sarina Neote, ASBMB public affairs director, said. “The average student debt balance has more than doubled in the past two decades, and this increase is coming at the expense of inclusivity. Student debt disproportionately affects underrepresented groups like Black, Latinx and American Indian students; the scientific workforce and enterprise will narrow and suffer if relief doesn’t come soon.”

    Historically marginalized groups such as Black students take on more debt than white students and are more likely to default on their loans.

    Recent Ph.D. graduates and postdocs already struggle to cover basic living costs. The student debt burden causes them to delay important milestones, such as purchasing property, which stifles the national economy, the ASBMB noted.

    To alleviate these financial burdens and allow the scientific workforce to grow, the ASBMB called for the Education Department to expand public and private service programs similar to the successful National Institutes of Health loan-repayment program. This program aims to counteract “financial pressure by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher’s qualified education debt in return for commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.”

    Neote said: “Education attainment and fulfillment should not come with such an unattainably high price tag.”

    About the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB): The ASBMB is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with more than 12,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1906 to advance the science of biochemistry and molecular biology, the society publishes three peer-reviewed journals, advocates for funding of basic research and education, supports science education at all levels, and promotes the diversity of individuals entering the scientific workforce. For more information about the ASBMB, visit www.asbmb.org.

    [ad_2]

    American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

    Source link

  • Eagleton Institute of Politics Experts Available to Discuss Donald Trump’s Third Indictment

    Eagleton Institute of Politics Experts Available to Discuss Donald Trump’s Third Indictment

    [ad_1]

    John Farmer, director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, and Robert Kaufman, a distinguished professor of political science at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, are available to comment on the latest indictment of Donald Trump.

    The following quotes are available for pick-up:

    John Farmer

    “The latest federal indictment of former President Trump is as significant for what it does not charge as for what it does.  In accusing the former president of obstructing the congressional process for transitioning power, conspiring to defraud the government, and conspiring to deprive the rights of others, the Special Counsel has avoided charging him with what the January 6 select committee clearly preferred: conspiracy to cause an insurrection, a charge that would have disqualified Trump, if convicted, from seeking elective office. That would have been an exceedingly difficult charge to prove, and would have reinforced the former president’s narrative that such charges would themselves have been an assault on democracy.  In my view, the charges in this indictment reflect the exercise of sound prosecutorial discretion. They do, however, raise the question: What took so long?” 

     

    Ashley Koning

    “In the short term, this latest indictment against former President Trump will simply rally his most ardent supporters, which makes up more than a third of all Republicans.  Trump’s mounting legal issues in the past several months have often given him a subsequent bump in primary polling, and his strongest competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, remains a distant second. But partisans across the board have taken the events of January 6th seriously since the beginning, and while Republicans’ views have become more complicated and divided on the issue over time, recent polling shows that an increasing number of Republicans view Trump’s involvement negatively. Piling indictments may eventually spell trouble for Trump in general with the kinds of voters he needs most: Independents and the quarter of Republicans who want anyone but him.”

     

    Robert Kaufman

    “The indictment of Donald Trump for disrupting the peaceful transfer of power in 2021 carries with it the risk of deepening the political polarization that afflicts our society. But a failure to hold him legally accountable would pose an even greater risk to American democracy, by allowing an attack on free elections to go unpunished.”

    [ad_2]

    Rutgers University-New Brunswick

    Source link

  • What to know about the state of voting rights ahead of 2024

    What to know about the state of voting rights ahead of 2024

    [ad_1]

    CHICAGO –– In a pair of decisions this summer that surprised some voting rights advocates, the U.S. Supreme Court went against the trend of recent decisions weakening the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

    As the anniversary of the landmark civil-rights legislation approaches on August 6, Manoj Mate, an associate professor with DePaul University College of Law, discusses the details and implications of these recent court rulings for the 2024 elections and the broader challenges facing voters. Mate is the faculty director of the Racial Justice Initiative, and his interdisciplinary research focuses on public law, constitutional law, election law and voting rights, and comparative constitutional law. 

    How did the Supreme Court rule this summer?

    First in Allen v. Milligan, the court ruled that Alabama’s 2022 congressional redistricting plan violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by packing a large bloc of Black voters into one majority-minority district. This divided up and diluted the voting power of the remainder of Black voters among surrounding districts. As a result of the decision, Alabama must now draw a second majority-minority district.

    In the second ruling for Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court rejected the extreme version of the independent-state-legislature theory, a fringe legal theory that would have limited state courts’ powers to review electoral work of state legislatures.

    The power to draw legislative maps has become central to the elections process. Why is the Moore v. Harper case so important for voting rights and democracy?

    Moore is important because it preserves a pathway for challenging partisan gerrymanders through state courts. In Rucho v. Common Cause (2019), the Supreme Court held partisan gerrymandering claims are political questions that cannot be adjudicated by federal courts, but they held that state courts could still review partisan gerrymandering claims under state constitutional law. While affirming the power of state courts to review partisan gerrymanders under state constitutions, the Supreme Court in Moore v. Harper held that state court decisions would still be subject to review by federal courts.

    What is the likely impact of the case going forward?

    The impact of the Supreme Court’s decision is still uncertain given the lack of clarity surrounding the new standard for reviewing state court decisions. However, under the new standard, federal courts will have the power to review state supreme court decisions on redistricting, as well as state regulations of voting and elections involving federal elections.

    These federal court decisions could have significant impacts on voting rights and federal elections as early as 2024. In applying the Moore standard, federal courts could potentially overturn state supreme court decisions invalidating partisan gerrymanders based on scrutiny of state courts’ interpretation of state constitutional provisions codifying voting rights, equality, and democratic principles. These decisions could have a significant influence on state Congressional maps, potentially affecting which party wins a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    What is happening at the state level?

    States continue to impose restrictions on voting rights through voter suppression policies. These include passing voter identification and felony disenfranchisement laws, restricting early voting and vote by mail, and reducing the number of polling places in major cities and population centers.

    In addition, election denial strategies are targeting election administration, including attacks on election workers, efforts to challenge certification of elections, and the creation of ‘election fraud’ policing units. All of these present significant threats to voting rights and elections.

    As faculty director of the Racial Justice Initiative, you bring together students, lawyers, researchers, policymakers and activists to collaborate on community-driven solutions to advance racial justice. Why is voting rights a priority for your work?

    Policies that seek to curtail or restrict voting rights have disproportionate impacts on minority communities and their power and influence in our democracy. Protecting voting rights and preserving and expanding access to the vote is essential to advancing legislation and policy reforms in the area of racial and social justice through the political process.

    [ad_2]

    DePaul University

    Source link

  • Oregon Patients Access to Quality Anesthesia Care Protected with Signing of HB 3425

    Oregon Patients Access to Quality Anesthesia Care Protected with Signing of HB 3425

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — ROSEMONT, Ill.  The state of Oregon took a significant step towards streamlining anesthesia care for patients with the signing of House Bill 3425 by Governor Tina Kotek on July 18. This landmark legislation repeals redundant provisions and provides clear guidelines for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) practicing in the state.

    The bill reaffirms the Oregon State Board of Nursing’s authority to establish rules regarding CRNA scope of practice, ensuring safe and effective anesthesia care for patients.

    “State nursing boards are uniquely qualified to oversee the practice of nursing,” Oregon Association of Nurse Anesthetists (ORANA) President Andrea Hargis, DNP, CRNA said. “Nursing boards understand the nurse-patient relationship and honor the expert care provided by nurses. We thank Gov. Kotek for preserving this important relationship.”

    Oregon opted-out of federal physician supervision requirements for CRNAs in 2003, recognizing their expertise and capabilities. As of 2023, 24 states plus Guam have taken this action in acknowledgment of CRNAs as highly skilled healthcare professionals capable of providing safe and quality care independently.

    CRNAs provide all aspects of superior anesthesia throughout Oregon. Nationally, CRNAs safely administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year working in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered.  CRNAs are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural settings, enabling facilities in these medically underserved areas to offer obstetrical, surgical, pain management, and trauma stabilization services. CRNAs have full practice authority in the Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and in combat support hospitals.

    [ad_2]

    American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

    Source link

  • GW Experts Available: White House Announces AI Safety Pledge with Top Tech Companies

    GW Experts Available: White House Announces AI Safety Pledge with Top Tech Companies

    [ad_1]

    Seven leading companies building artificial intelligence – including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Chat GPT-maker OpenAI – have agreed to a voluntary pledge to mitigate the risks of AI, according to an announcement by the White House. The companies committed to allowing independent security experts to test their systems before they’re released and to develop systems that will alert the public when content is created by AI, through a method known as “watermarking,” among other pledged steps. 

    GW faculty experts are available to offer insight, analysis and commentary on responsible and trustworthy AI as well as efforts by lawmakers and the Biden Administration to regulate artificial intelligence.

    David Broniatowski, an associate professor of engineering management and systems engineering, is GW’s lead principal investigator of a newly launched, NSF-funded institute called TRAILS that explores trustworthy AI. Broniatowski is leading the institute’s third research arm of evaluating how people make sense of the AI systems that are developed, and the degree to which their levels of reliability, fairness, transparency and accountability will lead to appropriate levels of trust. He can discuss the risks and benefits of AI development and what developing trustworthy AI means and looks like.

    Broniatowksi says watermarking is a useful tool, but there is no evidence that it will mitigate risks of AI harms on its own.

    Susan Ariel Aaronson, research professor of international affairs, is the director of GW’s Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub and co-PI of the TRAILS Institute. Under the TRAILS research initiative, Aaronson is using her expertise in data-driven change and international data governance to lead one of the institute’s research arms in participatory governance and trust. In all, her research focuses on AI governance, data governance, competitiveness in data-driven services such as XR and AI and digital trade. She can discuss the latest efforts to regulate artificial intelligence.

    [ad_2]

    George Washington University

    Source link